


Rainbow Rumpus Rehab Town

by HeeCawRoo



Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/F, Pale Romance | Moirallegiance, gamzee is mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-23
Updated: 2015-03-23
Packaged: 2018-03-18 18:10:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3578994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeeCawRoo/pseuds/HeeCawRoo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>ROSE: Maybe you and I should form some sort of support group.<br/>ROSE: Isn't that what people do?<br/>TEREZI: 4RGH NO, TH4T SOUNDS SO TOT4LLY 1RON1C!<br/>TEREZI: TH3 L4ST TH1NG 1 N33D 1S 4NOTH3R HUM4N US1NG 1RONY 4T M3 1N 4N 4TT3MPT TO "H3LP"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rainbow Rumpus Rehab Town

  


TEREZI: 4RGH, STOP, JUST STOP 4LR34DY  
TEREZI: COULD YOU 4T TH3 V3RY L34ST M4K3 4N 3FFORT TO B3 L3SS HORR1BL3

Rose watched as Terezi began sniffing around the Land of Light and Rain, frowning and growling at the lights and colors. She seemed to be searching for something. Rose couldn't imagine what. The glut of artifacts coating her land, floating in mid-air like some kind of digital mist, seemed to have mostly lifted. It's temporary appearance seemed unusual. Perhaps it had a purpose. It could have been intentionally obscuring something. If that was the case, it had done a good job. Maybe Terezi had smelled something? Her senses were typically more sensitive than sight, anyway. Though if she did know anything, she didn't seem to care.

Rose briefly wondered if whatever this hypothetical obfuscation was had anything to do with her pillow disappearing. She groaned and stood up.

Wandering around the area, she thought about the time she'd spent in it during the game. She'd never completed her planetary quest. Hell, she'd never started. She'd just rushed forward with her own plans, however on the spot or poorly thought out. She'd always trusted her own abilities, always sure she knew exactly what to do. Now...

ROSE: I have no idea what to do. And now, I'm not sure if I ever really did in the first place.  
ROSE: I suppose I could consider this realization some sort of epiphany. And now that I'm enlightened I can move forward to...  
ROSE: To do whatever it is I don't know to do in the first place.  
ROSE: ...  
ROSE: Something's wrong.

The sight gifted to her as a fully realized Seer had never exactly been straight forward. But still, it had been there. It had been three years, and although she'd rarely had a reason to use it, she'd always known she'd be able to. But now that she finally really needed it it, she couldn't make sense of what she saw at all. The threads of fortune were supposed to be there for her. And she supposed, in a way, they still were. But what was the point of a thread where she couldn't see the beginning or the end?

What she saw, rather than clarity, was a jumbled mass. Nothing made sense anymore. Possibilities and plans twisted together. She couldn't find a single--

Okay. She supposed there was _one_ thread that still looked relatively straight.

ROSE: Terezi?

Rose looked around. Terezi's incessant sniffing and searching seemed to have brought her over to Rose's alchemy equipment. Rose walked over to her.

TEREZI: WH4T DO YOU W4NT  
ROSE: To see what you're doing, mostly. What are you making?  
TEREZI: NON3 OF YOUR BUS1N3SS  
ROSE: This is my alchemiter. Of course it's my business.

Terezi inserted two cards into the machine. There was a spark of light, and through the magiscientific process of alchemy a long red scarf appeared on the platform.

ROSE: Did you make that with one of my scarfs?  
TEREZI: OH MY GOD WHY 4R3 YOU ST1LL T4LK1NG TO M3  
TEREZI: 1 THOUGHT 1D M4D3 MY THOUGHTS 4BOUT TH4T P4RT1CUL4R 4CT1V1TY PR3TTY CL34R  
ROSE: Talking to you just seems to be the thing to do right now. Sorry, I don't make the rules.

Rose studied Terezi, watching her face as she picked up the scarf and began to walk away. She looked... determined. Resolute.

ROSE: Are you going somewhere?  
ROSE: Terezi?  
TEREZI: 1M GO1NG TO DO SOM3TH1NG 1 SHOULD H4V3 DON3 4 LONG T1M3 4GO  
ROSE: ...Where are you going?  
TEREZI: CLOWN HUNT1NG

The thin teal thread wavered. Its length seemed to suddenly cut in half. Rose tried to follow it down to its conclusion, but it was swept into the tangle. She couldn't see where it ended. She couldn't see where it started. But she at least knew it was there. She hoped that would be good enough. She followed Terezi across the white sand.

ROSE: Maybe we should talk about this first. I don't think this is a good idea.  
TEREZI: L4LOND3 PL34S3  
TEREZI: 1 KNOW YOU H4V3 B33N D3SP3R4T3LY TRY1NG TO 1NS3RT YOURS3LF 1NTO MY R3L4T1ONSH1P W1TH G4MZ33 FOR 4LMOST 4 SW33P NOW BUT YOUR 4DV4NC3S 4R3 COMPL3T3LY UNW4NT3D  
TEREZI: 1 DO NOT H4V3 T1M3 TO PUT UP W1TH W1TH 4 HUM4N STUMBL1NG THROUGH TH31R F1RST 4SH3N CRUSH  
TEREZI: B3S1D3S TH1S 1SNT 3V3N 4 ROM4NT1C TH1NG  
ROSE: It's not?  
TEREZI: NO  
TEREZI: 1M PR3TTY MUCH DON3 W1TH H1M  
ROSE: So then what are you going to do?

Terezi stopped talking, but kept walking swiftly. She had wrapped the red scarf around her eyes, obscuring her expression, and her mouth was shut tightly, a thin firm line of black. She could have been ignoring the question, but Rose had a feeling that wasn't the case.

TEREZI: 1 DONT KNOW

Rose reached out and took hold of Terezi's arm, stopping her.

ROSE: Then maybe you'll agree now that we should make a plan first?

They stood there like that for a minute, then Terezi slowly nodded.

Rose brought Terezi back to her house, and up to her room. She frowned at the mess she'd left behind, dirty clothes and knitting supplies and rubble from that time John had crashed through her wall. (It had been so very long.) She captchalogued the broken pieces of wall and machinery, and kicked her clothes and yarn into a discrete pile in the corner. Terezi sniffed around and frowned at the proceedings.

TEREZI: YOU KNOW 1 THOUGHT YOU W3R3 4SH3N FOR M3 L4LOND3 BUT TH4TS NOT TH3 1MPR3SS1ON 1M G3TT1NG 4NYMOR3  
TEREZI: TH1S 1S ST4RT1NG TO LOOK 4 L1TTL3 P4L3R  
ROSE: Is it?  
TEREZI: ROS3  
ROSE: Help me out here, Terezi. I'm just a human, and despite Kanaya's... _thorough_ instruction, I don't know anything about your romantic protocols.  
ROSE: I just want to help you.  
ROSE: Here, sit on the bed with me.

Rose sat down, and patted the spot next to her with one hand. Terezi scowled and remained standing.

TEREZI: 1M NOT P4L3 FOR YOU  
TEREZI: 1M 3V3N L3SS OK4Y W1TH TH1S TH4N 1 W4S W1TH YOUR TH1NG FOR M3 4ND G4MZ33  
ROSE: Really? Why is that?  
TEREZI: ROS3 PL34S3, YOU DO NOT R34LLY W4NT M3 TO S4Y 1T DO YOU  
TEREZI: YOUR FR4G1L3 L1TTL3 3GO H3LD UP BY TH3S3 S4RC4ST1C 4ND 1NDULG3NT R3F3R3NC3S TO YOUR HUM4N PSYCHOLOG1C4L PR4CT1C3S S1MPLY C4NNOT T4K3 1T  
TEREZI: YOUR3 NOT TH4T D1FF3R3NT FROM YOUR BROTH3R 1 KNOW WH4T 1T M34NS WH3N 4 STR1D3R/L4LOND3 ST4RTS DOUBL1NG UP ON 1MPL1C4T1ONS 4ND COM3-ONS  
ROSE: Yes, comparing me to someone you actually have romantic feelings for is a great strategy here, I'm really feeling the rejection. Go on.  
TEREZI: H4V3 YOU FORGOTT3N TH4T D4V3 4ND 1 BROK3 UP OR WH4T  
ROSE: I was under the impression that was his idea, not yours.  
TEREZI: 4RGH!!

Terezi was starting to look _extremely_ agitated. Rose considered standing up to join her on her level, but on further consideration the idea seemed... a little too forward. Maybe? (Troll romance was very confusing.) She stayed in place.

ROSE: Why don't you just tell me what you're thinking. It couldn't hurt, and there's no need to hold back on my account. My 'fragile ego' can take it.  
TEREZI: UGH STOP DO1NG TH4T  
TEREZI: 1 DONT L1K3 YOU ROS3  
TEREZI: 1 DONT L1K3 YOU 4ND 1 DONT TRUST YOU  
TEREZI: 1 N3V3R H4V3, M4YB3 YOU FORGOT TH4T? 1 DONT W4NT TO B3 P4LS W1TH YOU 4ND 1 DONT W4NT TO B3 P4L3 W1TH YOU 4ND 1 FULLY 1NT3ND TO M4K3 GOOD ON MY PROM1S3 TO H4T3 YOU FOR3V3R  
TEREZI: TH3R3S NO R34SON FOR M3 TO TH1NK TH4T YOU WOULD B3 4NY B3TT3R 1N 4 CONC1L14TORY S3NS3 TH4N 4 H4T3PL4TON1C ON3  
TEREZI: POK1NG 4ROUND 4ND 4SK1NG L1TTL3 N33DL1NG QU3ST1ONS 4BOUT G4MZ33 1S ON3 TH1NG BUT 1M NOT 1NT3R3ST3D 1N YOU "LOOK1NG OUT FOR M3"  
ROSE: Yes, that's right.  
TEREZI: Y3S? WH4T DO YOU M34N Y3S WH4T 4R3 YOU 4GR331NG W1TH H3R3  
ROSE: I already know you don't like me. It's not like you've never made that clear. There's no reason for me to think anything between us has changed lately.  
TEREZI: OH  
ROSE: You do bring up an interesting point though. Are you saying you're okay with me auspisticizing between you and Gamzee?  
TEREZI: UM  
ROSE: This is the second time you've mentioned it, and implied you'd rather have that sort of relationship with me than this one.  
ROSE: At first I thought it was just a throwaway line, but you seem to actually mean it.  
ROSE: Yet earlier today you flat out told me you weren't interested.  
ROSE: I'm getting some mixed signals here, Terezi.

Terezi flustered and sputtered, seeming at a loss of what to say. Rose smiled softly and adjusted her tone.

ROSE: It's okay if you don't know how to answer. Do you mind if I take a guess?  
TEREZI: ...  
ROSE: It's not that you actually _do_ feel any sort of conciliatory attraction to me. I believe you when you say you don't.  
ROSE: It's about Gamzee, of course.  
ROSE: You're not committed to him anymore. You said as much yourself earlier.  
ROSE: If you're having misgivings about your relationship with him it's not much of a stretch to believe you'd reciprocate easily if someone professed interest in breaking the two of you up. Even if you didn't like them.  
ROSE: But the thing is, you don't actually _want_ to be in an auspistice with Gamzee. It's just another form of relationship, and even with someone to keep it stable that doesn't mean it would work out any better.  
ROSE: Plus, it would give me power over you, and for whatever reason you still don't trust me.  
ROSE: Does that all sound about right?  
TEREZI: ...  
TEREZI: >:[

Terezi deflated. Her hostile expression softened and she sat down on the bed besides Rose.

TEREZI: OK YOUV3 GOT M3 L4LOND3  
TEREZI: YOU H4V3 F1GUR3D M3 OUT COMPL3T3LY 4ND 1 4M COMPL3T3LY 4T YOUR M3RCY WH3TH3R 1 L1K3 1T OR NOT  
TEREZI: WH1CH R34LLY SHOULDNT SURPR1S3 M3 CONS1D3R1NG YOUV3 PR3TTY MUCH 4LW4YS B33N B3TT3R 4T DO1NG TH4T TH4N 1 H4V3  
TEREZI: 3V3N THOUGH 1TS B4S1C4LLY MY JOB >:[  
ROSE: No, don't say that. Just because I want to help doesn't mean you have to let me.  
ROSE: This is still up to you, you know.  
TEREZI: 1 KNOW BUT  
TEREZI: YOUR3 R1GHT  
TEREZI: 4BOUT 3V3RYTH1NG  
TEREZI: MY R3L4T1ONSH1P W1TH G4MZ33 1S T3RR1BL3 4ND 4S MUCH 4S 1 D1DNT W4NT TO 3ND 1T 1 ST1LL W4NT3D 1T TO 3ND  
TEREZI: SO 1 W4S PR4CT1C4LLY JUMP1NG 4T TH3 CH4NC3 TO G3T YOU B3TW33N US 4ND R34LLY JUST 4RGU1NG OUT OF PR1NC1PL3  
TEREZI: LOOK1NG B4CK ON 1T 1 PROB4BLY L3FT YOU 4LL K1NDS OF SH4M3L3SS OPPORTUN1T13S TO JUMP 1N 1TS JUST 3MB4RR4SS1NG  
ROSE: If it helps, I certainly didn't notice any of them. I was probably too drunk.  
ROSE: And too human.  
ROSE: Really it'd be a miracle if this worked out.  
ROSE: Whoops, not the best word choice there given the circumstances. Sorry.  
TEREZI: NO 1TS F1N3  
TEREZI: B3S1D3S 1F 4NYON3 COULD DO 1T 1T PROB4BLY WOULD B3 YOU  
ROSE: That's higher praise than I deserve, but I won't push the point.  
ROSE: I'm not really sure I want it to work out anymore though.  
TEREZI: W41T R34LLY  
TEREZI: WH4T, D1D YOU CH4NG3 YOUR M1ND  
ROSE: Sort of. If I could even consider it a change in the first place.  
ROSE: Honestly my intention was never actually to be in a relationship with the two of you. It just seemed like the best way to accomplish my actual desire.  
ROSE: Which was for the two of you not to be kismeses.  
TEREZI: WHY  
ROSE: It just didn't seem like an appropriate match to me. And from the sound of things, you agree.  
ROSE: So maybe it should be you that tells me 'Why'.

Terezi hesitated. Rose waited for her. And waited. And in time, Terezi told her. She told her everything. His taunting, mocking her, how _revolting_ he was and how much being with him made her hate herself. How he egged her into healing her eyes. How she felt like she didn't have any control. And Rose listened. And the more she listened, the more she felt like an ashen relationship between the three of them would never have worked out in the first place.

Because it was kind of hard to listen to without being a little biased.

Rose was starting to get an idea of what that little teal thread struggling to find its way out of the tangle actually meant. She needed to keep Terezi away from Gamzee. (But not like that!) 

ROSE: So why now?  
TEREZI: 3XCUS3 M3  
ROSE: You were going after him. You didn't even know what to do when you found him. So what made you decide to hunt him down right now?  
TEREZI: H3  
TEREZI: H3 W4S H3R3  
TEREZI: 1 GU3SS YOU COULDNT S33 H1M B3C4US3 OF 4LL TH3 GL1TCH3S  
TEREZI: BUT 1 COULD SM3LL H1M  
ROSE: He was here? What was he doing?  
TEREZI: H3 TOOK MY GL4SS3S 4ND YOUR P1LLOW  
TEREZI: H3 W4S JUST RUNN1NG 4ROUND  
TEREZI: _T4UNT1NG_ M3, 4ND B31NG JUST G3N3R4LLY D3SP1C4BL3  
TEREZI: 4ND 1T M4D3 M3 M4D  
ROSE: I see.  
ROSE: But then, if you know he's taunting you, you should also probably know the kind of reaction he wants from you.  
ROSE: So shouldn't you try to just ignore it?  
TEREZI: 1 KNOW BUT 1 C4NT  
TEREZI: 4ND B3S1D3S, 1V3 W4NT3D 4N OPPORTUN1TY TO 3ND TH1NGS ON MY OWN T3RMS 4ND M4YB3 TH1S COULD B3 1T  
ROSE: No.  
TEREZI: WH4T >:?  
ROSE: You can't go after him now Terezi, I can't let you do that.  
TEREZI: UM NO OFF3NS3 BUT TH3R3S PR3TTY MUCH NO W4Y YOU COULD STOP M3  
ROSE: Maybe not physically. But at least I can try to convince you that it would be a bad idea. It shouldn't be too hard, considering you already know it is.  
TEREZI: 1T COULD WORK OUT, YOU DONT KNOW 1T WONT!  
ROSE: Please, Terezi. There is no way it would work out.  
TEREZI: H4V3 YOU  
TEREZI: UM  
TEREZI: S33N 4NYTH1NG

Rose wished she _had_ seen something. She knew as long as she didn't there was room for doubt. Maybe letting Terezi go after Gamzee would be the right thing. Maybe the threads of fate were holding out for _specifically that thing_ and she was fucking it up by stopping them. She didn't know, and it was still driving her crazy. But... just this once, she wanted to trust herself, and not her powers. Like she used to. Whether it worked out or not. It's not like she knew either way.

ROSE: Why don't I ask you that same question?  
TEREZI: WHY WOULD YOU DO TH4T  
ROSE: It's fair turnaround. When's the last time you used your powers?  
TEREZI: 1T W4S 4 LONG T1M3 4GO 4ND 1T D1DNT R34LLY WORK OUT  
ROSE: It didn't?  
TEREZI: W3LL OK4Y 1T D1D! BUT 1 D1DNT L1K3 1T  
TEREZI: 1 DONT TH1NK 1 S4W 3NOUGH, 1 MUST H4V3 DON3 1T WRONG  
TEREZI: OR M4YB3 1 D1DNT DO 1T WRONG 4ND TH4T R34LLY W4S TH3 B3ST TH1NG TH4T COULD H4V3 H4PP3N3D, BUT TH1NK1NG TH4T DO3SNT M4K3 M3 F33L B3TT3R  
ROSE: What exactly happened?  
TEREZI: 1 WOULD R34LLY R4TH3R NOT T3LL YOU TH4T  
ROSE: Fair enough. So you got burned once by your powers and haven't tried again since out of fear?  
TEREZI: Y34H 1 GU3SS  
ROSE: Why don't you try now? It would be relatively safe. I'm here for you to fall back on if you doubt what you see.  
TEREZI: BUT  
TEREZI: OK4Y 1 H4V3 TR13D TO US3 MY POW3RS  
TEREZI: 4ND 1 KNOW B4S1C4LLY WH4T W1LL H4PP3N 1F 1 GO 4FT3R G4MZ33 B3C4US3 TH3R3S PR3TTY MUCH NO W4Y 1T WONT R3SULT 1N 4 F1GHT  
TEREZI: BUT TH4TS NOT MY POW3RS T3LL1NG M3 TH4T 1TS JUST MY 1NTU1T1ON B3C4US3 MY POW3RS 4R3NT T3LL1NG M3 4NYTH1NG!  
TEREZI: 1M TRY1NG TO US3 TH3M BUT TH3YR3 NOT WORK1NG, 1M JUST G3TT1NG NOTH1NG  
TEREZI: M4YB3 1 DONT 3V3N H4V3 POW3RS 4NYMOR3, M4YB3 1T W4S JUST 4 FLUK3 TH4T TH3Y WORK3D TH4T ON3 T1M3  
TEREZI: 1 N3V3R R34CH3D GOD T13R SO MY POW3RS N3V3R R34CH3D TH31R FULL POT3NT14L SO M4YB3 1 JUST  
TEREZI: DONT G3T TO H4V3 TH3M 4NYMOR3  
ROSE: It's certainly plausible that as a non god tier your powers are incomplete and imperfect. But I'm pretty sure that's not what's happening here.  
TEREZI: HOW DO YOU KNOW  
ROSE: Because I can't see anything either.  
TEREZI: OH

The two of them sat in silence for a little while, mulling over the implications of that. If neither of them could use their powers then it wasn't just a personal fluke. They were being deliberately blinded. But with no way to know by what, or by who, there was just simply nothing they could do about it.

TEREZI: SO TH3N WH4T SHOULD W3 DO  
TEREZI: SHOULD W3 TRY TO 4CT 4NYW4Y W1THOUT OUR POW3RS  
TEREZI: OR W1THOUT YOURS 4NYW4Y, S1NC3 1TS NOT L1K3 W3 3V3R H4D 4CC3SS TO M1N3  
ROSE: I can't tell you what we should do. I've been in the habit of relying on my powers for a while now.  
ROSE: But I can tell you what we _shouldn't_ do. Go after Gamzee.  
TEREZI: 1  
TEREZI: 1 GU3SS  
TEREZI: BUT 1TS ST1LL K1ND OF H4RD TO R3S1ST  
ROSE: I'll be here with you, I can help you.  
TEREZI: TH4NKS, 1 GU3SS 1 4PPR3C14T3 1T  
TEREZI: K1ND OF >:[  
TEREZI: BUT W3 ST1LL H4V3 NOTH1NG TO DO, W3 C4NT JUST S1T 4ROUND T4LK1NG 4BOUT HOW SUDD3NLY US3L3SS W3 4R3  
ROSE: Well, we don't have to do that. But we should stay on LOLAR.  
ROSE: There has to be a reason we were sent here, and we should be able to find it.  
ROSE: Keeping in contact with our friends should be a priority as well.  
TEREZI: Y34H 4LR1GHT  
ROSE: And on that note, I have a certain conversation that I've been putting off for too long.  
ROSE: And I think that you do too.  
TEREZI: DO 1?  
TEREZI: OH  
TEREZI: Y34H 1 GU3SS 1 K1ND OF DO  
TEREZI: UUUGGHH TH4TS GO1NG TO B3 4 H4SSL3  
ROSE: But I think it'll be worth it.  
ROSE: So, until next time.

Rose got up and walked to the door. She stopped and turned back to Terezi, who was still sitting in place, fiddling with the long scarf wrapped around her eyes.

ROSE: If you have any ideas about what to do, please come talk to me about them before acting on any of them.  
ROSE: We need to stick together.  
TEREZI: Y34H 1 W1LL  
ROSE: Thank you.

As Rose walked out of her room and downstairs, she tried again, tapping on the jumble of threads she could see and yet not see. The end was still out of sight, but the delicate teal thread had stabilized. She seemed to be on the right path.

She smiled.


End file.
